Shape Up

Shape Up circuit breakers

A circuit breaker is a pre-agreed point where a risky scope must stop and be reconsidered. It protects appetite from being consumed by a single unknown.

Set the trigger early

Define the evidence or time limit that will trigger reconsideration while shaping. The point is not punishment; it is making a choice before sunk cost takes over.

Pause and assess

When the breaker trips, ask whether to simplify, defer, or invest more deliberately. Do not continue merely because prior effort makes stopping uncomfortable.

Make it visible

Hillchart attention signals can mark a circuit breaker on the affected scope. That makes the decision visible to the people accountable for the cycle.